Heart Valve Disease

What is heart valve disease?

Heart valve disease is a condition that’s more common than you might think and it can be serious. 

Your heart has four valves that control your blood flow. If these valves don’t open or close properly, your heart has to work harder. This is called heart valve disease, and it can eventually lead to heart failure. 

At Banner Health, we offer advanced care for all types of valve conditions, from early detection to surgical treatment and long-term follow-up. Our heart specialists are experienced in diagnosing heart valve problems and will work with you to find the right treatment options for your condition.

How do heart valves work?

Each valve opens and closes to keep blood moving forward through different parts of your heart and body. The four valves are:

• Aortic: Between the left ventricle and the aorta, the largest artery in the body
• Mitral: Between the left atrium and the left ventricle   
• Tricuspid: Between the right atrium and the right ventricle   
• Pulmonary: Between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery, which leads to the lungs

What causes heart valve disease?

Problems can happen when valves:

• Narrow (stenosis): Valves get thick, stiff or fused, so they can’t open properly. 
• Leak (regurgitation): Valves don’t close all the way, so blood flows backwards through them.
• Don’t close properly (prolapse): Valves become stretched or floppy and can bulge. 
• Don’t form properly (atresia, bicuspid): This is a congenital condition from birth.

Over time, this can cause serious health issues, including heart failure. Valve disease can affect both adults and children and can even start at birth but is more common in adults.   Valve disease is common in 5%-10% of individuals who are 65 years and older.

Causes of heart valve disease may include:

• Aging and normal wear and tear
• Infections like endocarditis or rheumatic fever
• High blood pressure or heart disease
• Congenital defects (problems someone is born with)
• Degenerative disease (like prolapse)
• Radiation treatment to the chest

These factors put you at higher risk of heart valve disease:

• Advanced age
• A history of rheumatic fever
• Previous heart attack or another type of heart disease 
• High blood pressure
• Intravenous drug use
• Family history

Not everyone with risk factors will develop heart valve disease, but if you have risk factors, it’s a good idea to talk about them with your health care provider.

What symptoms of heart valve disease should you watch for?

You may not notice symptoms right away. Sometimes, a doctor or provider just hears a “murmur” which is turbulent blood flow that can come from valve disease. As valve disease progresses, common signs include:

• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue, tiredness or weakness
• Swelling in the ankles, feet or belly
• Chest pain or pressure
• Fast or irregular heartbeat
• Dizziness or fainting

You could have no symptoms or mild symptoms and your heart valve disease could still be serious. Talk with your health care provider if you have these symptoms. Early intervention is known to help prevent complications.  Once symptoms of valve disease occur, the condition can become life-threatening.

What are the types of heart valve disease?

Heart valve disease can affect one or more valves. Common types include:

• Aortic stenosis: When the aortic valve in your heart doesn’t open properly
• Aortic regurgitation: When the aortic valve in your heart leaks
• Mitral valve regurgitation: When the mitral valve leaks and blood flows backwards 
• Mitral stenosis: When the mitral valve does not open properly, often seen with rheumatic disease or severe mitral annular calcification (aka, MAC)
• Tricuspid valve regurgitation: When the tricuspid valve does not close completely, blood flows backwards and the lungs get less blood
• Pulmonary regurgitation or stenosis: When the pulmonary valve leaks or does not open properly

Learn more about types of heart valve disease.

How is heart valve disease diagnosed and treated?

Your provider may use tests like echocardiograms, MRIs or CT scans to check how your heart is working.  These tests help determine how severe the valve disease may or may not be, and whether you are risk for complications such as heart failure.  Testing also helps determine what treatments you could receive.

The correct heart valve disease diagnosis and treatment can help you recover and get back to your life. 

Learn more about how valve disease is diagnosed and treated.

What are heart valve repair and replacement options?

For patients with valve disease, you might need a procedure for treatment. Valve procedures fall into two general categories, valve repair or replacement. Depending on your condition, you may be a candidate for minimally invasive procedures or traditional open-heart surgery.  Options include:

• Catheter-based procedures like transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), mitral valve repair (MitraClip, PASCAL), tricuspid valve repair (TriClip), tricuspid valve replacement (Evoque), valve-in-valve therapy or mitral valve replacement 
• Surgical valve repair or replacement

In addition to conventional transcatheter and surgical procedures, Banner Health offers investigational therapies through research studies.   

Learn more about heart valve repair and replacement options.

What is life like after heart valve repair or replacement?

Valve procedures are life-saving therapies that significantly improve quality-of-life. Most people go on to live full, active lives after surgery to repair or replace heart valves. Your recovery plan may include medications, cardiac rehab and routine follow-ups to protect your heart health.

Learn more about what to expect after heart valve treatment.

Why choose Banner Health?

At Banner Health, our highly specialized heart team provides expert multidisciplinary care with access to state-of-the-art diagnostic testing and therapies. Our physicians collaborate to find the best solution for you. 

The patient is truly at the center of care at Banner Health. The range of therapeutic options ensures an individualized treatment plan for every patient. 

With our internationally renowned heart valve specialists, you'll be in good hands with access to the widest range of options for treating heart valve issues.

Take the next step

Concerned about your heart valve health? We’re here to help. Schedule an appointment with a heart specialist.